Slot switch-tongue and slot switch-box mechanism for conduit-railway construction.



- No. 779,506.- PATENTED JAN. 10, 1905.

, H. C. STIPF.- SLOT SWITCH TONGUE AND SLOT SWITCH BOX MECHANISM FORGONDUIT RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24. 1902.

2 SHEETSSHEET l- A W/TN 8858: am 6. Kim @LQa M QWMNU: s Urommr.

No. 779,506. PATENTED JAN. 10, 1905. H. 0. STIFF. SLOT SWITCH TONGUE ANDSLOT SWITCH BOX MECHANISM FOR GONDUIT 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Un ng SEE! RAILWAY GONSTRUGTION.

APPLICATION FILED 111:0. 24. 1902.

Lll.

ICNYEIITUR Br- ATTORNEY 3/6. ./0 U WGQWNQQ Patented January 10, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

HENRY CHARLES STIFF, OF J OHNSTOTVN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THELORAIN STEEL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SLOT SWITCH-TONGUE AND SLOT SWITCH BOX MECHANISM FOR CONDUlT-RAILWAYCONSTRUCTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,506, dated January10, 1905. Applicafion filed December 2 1902. Serial No. 136A56.

T 0 all whom, it nuty concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY CHARLES STIFF, of Johnstown, in the county ofOambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Slot Switch- Tongues and Slot Switch-Box Mechanism forConduit-Railway Construction, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specification.

This invention has relation to improvements in slot-tongues and slotswitch-box mechanism for conduit-railway construction.

The object of the invention is to so arrange the slot-tongues and theslot switch-box in which the tongues are supported and operate as toavoid any break or opening in the streetsurface of the structure of acharacter such as might be a source of danger to street traffic; also,to provide means whereby the slottongues will tend to keep themselvesfree from dirt and other obstructions which might otherwise interferewith their operation; also,

to provide a strong and durable structure well adapted to the severeusage of street service.

To these ends the invention consists in so constructing the tongues thattheir slot-edge portions are flush with the surface of the slotpoint andwith the surface of the slot-switch structure generally, and theiropposite edge portions are depressed and are provided with radial ribsor lugs, and also in providing cover plates which overlie the depressedpoint and outer edge portions of the tongues and are formed at theirunder sides with radial grooves which are complementary to the saidradial ribs or lugs. These ribs or lugs are so arranged that their upperedges are but slightly below the surface of the structure, and they thuspractically close up the breaks or openings between the raised slotedgeportion of the tongues and the edges of the covers, while at the sametime the tongues are left free to move from one switching position toanother. The slot-edge portions of the tongues being level withthesurface of the slot-point are relieved largely from blows caused byvehicle-wheels passing from one surface to the other.

Another feature of the invention consists in forming the bottom of thegrooves or spaces between the said radial ribs or lugs with inclinedsurfaces leading up to the surface-flush slot-edge portions of thetongues,

whereby the movement of the tongues will tend to force out of saidspaces or grooves dirt'and other obstructions which may lodge therein,and thus render the structure in a considerable measure self-cleaning.

In one form of the invention I also so construct and secure thecover-plates that they can be removed for any necessary purpose whollyfrom the surface of the structure.

Other features of the invention will here- 5 inafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a slot-switchstructure embodying the invention; Fig. 2, a longitudinal verticalsection of the same on the center line of 7 the slot; Fig. 3, alongitudinal section on the line?) 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a transversesection on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a plan view showing amodification, one of the coverplates being removed; and Fig. 6, alongitudinal vertical section taken on the center line of the slot, Fig.5.

The body portion of the slot-switch structure is of the usual built-uptype, being composed of the main angle-castings a and the 30 bracketsZ), which support the boxes 0, through which access to the conduit andto the slotswitch-actuating mechanismis provided. My invention, however,is not concerned with any particular construction of the body portion 5of the structure.

B is the slot-point, B the main or throughslot, and B the branchingslot.

D D designate the two slot-tongues which are pivoted at D and aresupported by and 9 move on the horizontal bed portions of the castingsa. Each of these tongues has the depressed point portion (Z, thesurface-flush slot-edge portion (Z, and the depressed outer sides of thecover plates.

. made as deep as safety will permit, so that the surfaces of the lugsor ribs (i will be as near the street-level of the structure aspossible, and thus practically close the breaks or openings between thecoverplates and the raised portions (Z of the tongues.

It will be noted that the bolts E, which secure the cover-plates to thestructure, are so arranged as to be accessible through the boxes 0 0 andfrom the sides of the structure. These plates may, however, be soconstructed and arranged that the fastening-bolts are accessible fromthe surface of the structure, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In thisconstruction the bolts E are passed vertically through the structure andare secured by nuts E, which lie in countersinks or recesses in thesurfaces of the plates. In this construction also the heel-end portionsof the tongues are depressed, as shown at cl, to underlie the saidplates. Of course, if desired, the said plates may be integral portionsof the structure-castings, in which case the tongues would be accessibleby means of the usual pit. The removable constructions are, however, tobe preferred.

F indicates the connections for the tongueactuating mechanisms. Thismechanism, however, forms no part of this invention and may be of anyusual or suitable character.

It will be apparent that various mechanical changes may be made in theconstruction and arrangement of the several parts without affecting orchanging the essential features of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The slot-tongues having the radial ribs or lugs, in combination withthe cover-plates having complementary radial grooves.

2. The slot-tongues having the surface-flush slot portions, and theradial lugs or ribs on their rear edge portions, the bottoms of thespaces or grooves between said lugs or ribs being inclined upwardly tothe surface of the said raised portions.

3. The combination in a slot-switch structure of the radially-ribbedslot-tongues, and the removable cover-plates having the radial groovesin their under side to receive the ribs on the tongues.

4. The slot-tongues having the depressed point portions, the raisedslot-edge portions flush with the surface of the slot-point, and thedepressed radially-ribbed rear-edge portions, in combination with thecover-plates having radial grooves in their under surfaces.

5. For an electric conduit railway or tramway, a conduit junction-piecehaving a single slot with two diverging branches extending through itsupper part and a lateral cavity or recess formed in each of the two sideportions of the conduit at opposite sides of the wide portion of theslot at its junction with the diverging slots, and slides each arrangedto work laterally in one of the said upper portions and formed with anupwardly-extending part arranged to work in the corresponding cavity orrecess.

6. For an electric conduit railway or tramway, a conduit junction-piecehaving a single slot with two diverging branches extending through itsupper part and a lateral cavity or recess formed in each of the two sideportions of the conduit at oppositesides of the wide portion of the slotat its junction with the diverging slots, slides each arranged to worklaterally in one of the said upper portions and formed with anupwardly-extending part arranged to work in the corresponding cavity orrecess, and means for operating said slides so that one slide will bemoved into its inoperative position when the other is moved into itsoperative position.

7. For an electric conduit railway or tramway, a slotted junction-piecehaving lateral recesses in the two upper portions of the conduit atopposite sides of the slot at the junction, ribs or bars connecting theupper and lower parts of the recessed portions, two slides withupwardly-extending notched portions arranged to work in said recessesand to extend through the openings between said ribs or bars, and meansfor operating said slides.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY CHARLES STIFF.

WVitnesses LORETTO OCONNELL, H. W. SMITH.

